Complicated grief: assessment of scientific knowledge and implications for research and practice

Abstract

Our objective in compiling this edited volume has been to provide an up-to-date, state-of-the-art account of scientific research on complicated grief (CG), one that is hoped to be useful for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers alike. We have included diverse contributions, representing contemporary research and thinking from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. Scientific and societal issues have been addressed throughout, and it will have become evident that our authors have at times come to different conclusions on fundamental issues. In this concluding chapter, we reflect on the research presented in this volume, to summarize developments, highlight implications, and indicate current understanding – as well as gaps in our knowledge – regarding CG. We try to draw together the different lines of argument, so that readers can form their own conclusions about scientific knowledge on CG and associated implications for research, practice, and policy.